EDITORIAL: Where's the outrage?

Pennsylvania lawmakers have every right to be angry about the way Gov. Tom Corbett has handled his effort to privatize the state lottery.

From the reasoning for turning over the 41-year-old lottery -- one of the largest in the country -- to an outside, foreign manager, to exactly how that company plans to boost profits, the process has been shrouded in secrecy.

Add to that concerns -- and a lawsuit -- about whether Corbett has the authority to unilaterally make this decision and doubts the winning bidder, London-based Camelot Global Services, can legally expand the lottery without legislative approval.

The final insult to lawmakers came late Friday afternoon, when the governor announced he planned to award the contract to Camelot within the coming week.

That was surely news to members of the Senate Finance Committee, which had earlier scheduled a hearing on the matter for Monday.

The hearing went on as scheduled, and yielded some new details about the deal.

But there were hardly the fireworks, the outrage, one might expect from indignant lawmakers.

The GOP-controlled Legislature appears ready to let Corbett, also a Republican, have his way in this matter.

The best chance to check the governor's overreach lays with the state's Democratic elected row officers.

State Treasurer Rob McCord already has pledged to withhold payments to Camelot until he's sure the company's plans for the lottery are legal.

And finally, if Corbett finalizes the deal this week as expected, it starts a 30-day review by new Attorney General Kathleen Kane, who will give her opinion on its legality.

What's at stake is the long-term fate of a multi-billion dollar program that is the main source of funding for senior programs in Pennsylvania, not to mention hundreds of jobs. There's also the issue of a possible massive expansion of gambling in this state.

It's not a decision that should be made by one person. If the state Legislature is unwilling to demand participation in the process, it's up to the row officers to forcefully shine a light on it.